Hand-grenade.



1. F C. YTTRUP.

HAND GRENADE.

APPLlCATlON FILED FEB. 4, ma.

Patented July 16, 1918.

WiT ESSES INVENTOR m: Nome: Pr'lFRs m, mmwumc WASHVNGIUN. my C,

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HAND GRE ADE.

, Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented uly 16, 1918.

Application filed February 4, 1918. Serial No. 215,246.

To all whom itmay concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN FJG. Y'r'rirur, a subject of the KingoiiDcnmark, and a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny andState of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement inHandfirenades; and I do hereby-declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact! description th ercof- This invention relates to bombsor projectiles, and more particularly to grenades adapted primarily forhand throwing, and has for one of its principal objects the provision ofa device of this class that maybe safely handled by the operator withoutdanger of premature explosion.

Another object is the provisionof a. grenade that will explode at apredetermined time, and one in which the detonator will be fired by theaction of the device passing through the air. i

' Other objects, such as simplicity and cheapness in manufacture, willbe more fully brought out in the specification and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in

which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view through a complete grenade embodying myinvention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view at right angles to Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 2 designatesthe body portion of my. grenade; which is preferably composed of tin andmade pear shaped in order that it may be readilygrasped by the operator,and also to facilitate its travel through space. The upper or small endof thebody is screw-threaded to receive a cap 3, having a centrallyarranged aperture 4 in the end 3 of said cap. The upper or small end ofthe body portion 2 has an internal flange 5 formed adjacent itsterminal. A tube like receptacle 6. having a flange 7 is adapted toextend within the body poriion 2 and be supported by the flange 5i i lThe body portion 2 is adapted to be filled with any well known explosive8 requiring a shock to set it off, and to have at its head or large endan inner head 9 of cast metal Or other charge. The head 9, which Iprefer formed of cast metal, is crossed by separation channels 10 atintervals, such channels or lines running at right angles to each otherso as to divide such inner head into small squares which will separatewhen the device explodes.

The tube-like receptacle (5 is partially filled with a strong explosive11, such as mercury powder, and contains a. fuse strip. 12 which hasslow burning qualities and which will burn predetermined time, as forexample {i-th inch per second. i

An invertedcup-shaped member 13 is mounted above the cap 3 and containsa coil spring let. An ignition wire 15 is secured to the cup 13 andextends through the aper ture i and within the receptacle 6, and has. aninflammable headlG.

. The spring 11- is ot'such length that' it must be comprcssedunder thecup .13 in orderto allow the wire 15 which is secured to such cup toextend within the receptacle' i, and when COIl'l'PlQSSGd'llZ is held inposition by the locking arms 17 whichv are securedto thesidcs of cap 3and bent "over .the cup 13. v i f.

The arms 17 areheld in position"overthev cup member 13 by the cord 18which is wrapped around the'free ends of such .arms

, and has its one end trained"downwardly under the inclo sing tube orneck 19, which is removably secured to the small end of the body portion2. The cord 18 is then)- trained upwardly and has itsend secured-ina'stoppermember or cork 20 adapted to be secured in the tube or neck 19.

The operation of the device is as follows: The device. being assembledand filled with the suitable explosives, the operator will grasp it souse the large end will leave his hand first; he willremove the cork orstopper 20'which is composed of light mate rial, such as cork or wood;he will thenremove the neck 19 and grasp the stopper 20 under the thumbof-the throwing hand.

The operator will then throw the'device into the air in aforwarddirection, and the pear shape of the body portion will cause such bodyto travelwith its large or head end inclined toward the ground. Such position will aid in scattering the-charge or inner head 9. f j i Thestopper or'corklfi, -beiug-light,-will travel to the rear of the deviceat the length ofthe string or cord 18. The peculiar shape of the bodyportion 2 and the manner in which 'it is gripped by the operator willcause the device to have a whirling action when. thrown into the air.The circling or whirling action of the body 2 will cause the cord 18 tounwind from the locking arms 17 thus releasing the same and permittingspring 14 to force the cup member 13 up Ward, thereby causing the head16 on the wire 15 to ignite This is due to the friction caused by thehead 16 in passing through the aperture 1 in cap 3 striking the sides ofsaid aperture. Vhen the head 16 ignites it will start the fuse 12 andthus set ofi the charge 11 which acts as a. detonator to set off themain explosive charge 8.

'It will thus be seen that it is impossible for a grenade constructedaccording to my invention to prematurely explode thus injuring-theoperator and companions.

It will be understood thatthe cord 18 may be wrapped around the arms 17any number of times desired, thus" increasing or decreasing the lengthof time required for the device to explode after beingrthrown into theair.

Although I- have shown and described my invention in combination with aspecific form of grenade, it will be understood that various changes maybe made in design and 2-. A projectile comprising a body portion 1 tocontain explosive, a detonating tube with in said body portion, .anautomatic igniown means, said means comprising a spring accelerated stemextending within said tube,

means for locking said stem, in inoperative 'position, said meanscomprising locking arms bent over said stem to depress the same, andmeans for releasing said arms.

3. In a hand grenade, a detonator comprising a tubular receptaclepartially filled with an explosive, a fuse within said receptacle, anignition stem extending into said receptacle to ignite said fuse, aspring member compressed under a cup member, a pair of locking armsadapted to be bent over said cup to hold saidspring in its compressedposition, and a flexible cord "member wound around the free ends of saidarms to hold them in position, said cup being secured to grooves 011 itsinner surface at intervals and extending at right angles to each otherdividing said head into small squares to facilitate its breaking apartwhen the device is exploded, and a detonator for discharging saidexplosive.

5. A hand grenade comprising a pearshaped body portion composed of thmmetal to contain an explosive, a detonator for said I explosive, saiddetonator comprising-a tubularreceptacle partially filled with anexplosive, a fuse within said receptacle, an ignition stem extendinginto said receptacle to ignite said fuse, a spring member compressedundera cap, a pair of locking arms bent over said cup members to holdsaid spring in its compressed position, and a flexible cord memberadapted to be wound around the free ends of said arms to hold them inposition, said'cup being secured to said ignition stem,'and said stembeing ignited .when said spring andcup are released.

6. A" hand grenade comprising a pearshaped body portion composed ofrelatively thin metal to-contain an explosive, a head of relativelythick cast metal having dividing lines therein to facilitate it breakingapart When the device is exploded, a detonator for discharging saidexplosive, said detonator comprising a tubular receptacle partiallyfilled with an explosive, a fuse within said receptacle, an ignitionstem extending'into said receptacle to ignitesaid fuse, a spring 7member compressed under a cup member, a

pair of locking arms bent over said cup.

member to hold said spring in its compressed 'pos1t10n, and a flexlblecord member wound around the free ends of said arms to hold them inposition, said cup being se- F. C. YTTRUP, have hereunto setmy hand.

' JOHN F. o. YTTRUP.

I Witnesses V r J. N. COOKE,

J. M. GEVOGHEGAVN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each,.by addressingthe Commissioner of 'Patents,

Washington, D. C.

.cured to said ignition stem, and said stem

